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The winter really snuck up on most people this year with record snowfall totals in the month of October. For skiers and boarders this is an obvious welcome and hopefully a sign of an epic winter to come.

A couple of friends and I decided to go check out one of our local mountains.

Location
Flagpole Peak

Weather
Clear and warm, borderline hot. Light winds.

Snow
The previous snow history consisted of a 3 to 4 foot base from a storm that lasted a few days near the end of October. Almost a week later it snowed around 12-14 inches at this location. The storm was very windy and affected the snow at higher elevations which made this location a good call. The treed slopes on this tour held the protected snow we were after.

The peak can be seen from the highway.


It was my first time on this peak but I'm very familiar with the Echo Peak that is connected on the same ridge.

The snow level was surprising low for this time of year which allowed us to skin a few hundred feet from the car. We made our way through the lower forest and onto an old slide path with alder thickets. I think gimpy might have taken one for the team. (photo Joe)



Looking down on the lower slope. (photo Joe)


We continued on up a steep skintrack to heaven set by gimpy. The snow was its deepest on the mid-mountain were it had been protected from the wind.


At the top we saw how the peak got its name.


To the west is Echo Lakes and the beautiful Crystal Range.


Joe, gimpy, and buddy get ready to drop for our first run.



Joe enjoys the early season powder.


gimpy and buddy do too.


My turn. (photo Joe)


photo gimpy


Early season snowpack also mean lots of obstacles and pillows to play with.


The conditions were a little thin up high but once you got down a little the coverage was quite good.

More joe


More gimpy


And more bcrider. (photo gimpy)


and buddy (photo gimpy)


Thanks for a great day guys!

Very nice. How many rocks did you hit?

very nice bcrider! damn i need to get a camera.

Nice early season outing! Good to see BCR's picturesque TRs still going, keep up the good work.

What kind of dog is Buddy? He looks alot like my shepard/lab (+ I believe a dose of husky), Ginger. Great dog for the snow! She once spent the evening at 9000', other than the \"where have you been\" look on her face the next morning none the worse for the experience.

Last spring in the Medusa Couloir


During the Olympics, Helis couldn't fly but we could!!!!


Hmmmm....time to start an ever popular Dog Thread????